Name: Basil, rosemary & chive flowerpot
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: Makes 1 loaf and 3 rolls
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 400g malted grain brown bread flour or wholemeal or granary bread flour; 100g strong white bread flour; 7g sachet easy-bake dried yeast (or 2 tsp Quick dried yeast); 1½ tsp salt; 1 tbsp soft butter; 1 rounded tbsp each of chopped basil rosemary and snipped chives; 1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary; salt flakes

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Basil, rosemary & chive flowerpot

Basil, rosemary & chive flowerpot

Angela Nilsen

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Makes 1 loaf and 3 rolls

Easy

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 30 mins

You'll have a baked loaf in 2 ½ - 3 hrs

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This freshly made bread makes an ideal gift or simply enjoy it with friends or family at home

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

For the brown loaf

400g malted grain brown bread flour

or wholemeal or granary bread flour
100g strong white bread flour
7g sachet easy-bake dried yeast

(or 2 tsp Quick dried yeast)
1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp soft butter

For the flavourings

1 rounded tbsp each of chopped basil

rosemary and snipped chives
1 or 2 sprigs of rosemary
salt

flakes

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Nutrition: per serving (20 slices)

kcal88
fat1g
saturates0g
carbs18g
sugars1g
fibre1g
protein3g
salt0.51g

low

Method

step 1

Mix your choice of brown flour with the white, the yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Put in the butter and rub it into the flour. Stir in the herbs. Make a dip in the centre of the flour and pour in almost 300ml hand warm (cool rather than hot) water, with a round-bladed knife. Then mix in enough of the remaining water and a bit more if needed, to gather up any dry bits in the bottom of the bowl and until the mixture comes together as a soft, not too sticky, dough. Gather it into a ball with your hands.
step 2

Put the dough on to a very lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 mins until it feels smooth and elastic, only adding the minimum of extra flour if necessary to prevent the dough sticking. Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured work surface. Cover with an upturned, clean, large glass bowl and leave for 45 mins-1 hr or until doubled in size and feels light and springy. Timing will depend on the warmth of the room.
step 3

Knock back the dough by lightly kneading just 3-4 times. You only want to knock out any large air bubbles, so too much handling now will lose the dough’s lightness. Shape into a ball. Cover with the glass bowl and leave for 15 mins.
step 4

Shape by oiling and lining the base and sides of a clean, unused earthenware flowerpot (about 14cm tall x 13cm diameter) with baking parchment. Cut off ¾ of the dough, shape it into a fat sausage that is slightly narrower at one end and push the narrow end down into the pot. Shape the rest into 3 round buns. Finish by brushing the loaf lightly with water and gently pressing a sprig or 2 of rosemary into the top (soak the rosemary in cold water first to help prevent it from burning in the oven). Sprinkle with salt flakes and a little flour, and sit it on a baking sheet with the buns, also decorated with rosemary and salt. Cover all with a clean tea towel and leave for 40-45 mins, or until the loaf has risen to about 5cm above the top of the pot.
step 5

Put a roasting tin in the bottom of the oven 20 mins before ready to bake and heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Put the risen bread in the oven, carefully pour about 250ml cold water into the roasting tin (this will hiss and create a burst of steam to give you a crisp crust), then lower the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake for about 20 mins for the rolls and 30 minutes for the flowerpot, or until golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack. If you tap the underneath of the loaf if should be firm and sound hollow

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2011

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